A Figure from the Past
by Heaven Sent Tenshi
Summary: New student shows up at Domino. She dresses oddly, acts nervous, and weird things are beginning to happen. What's up with her, Joey, and Kaiba? And how on Earth could this girl link everyone together past, present, and future? Sorta AU
1. The New Kid

A Figure from the Past

Chapter 1: The New Kid

Heaven Sent Tenshi

Disclaimer:_ I have not and will not own the manga, or anime, Yu-Gi-Oh! (including rights related to it). The character, Lea, however, is my own creation. Theft or copy of this character and/or her story will lead to a serious butt-kicking._

Nothing stirred. Her blue eyes shifted back and forth. The unsettling quiet of the hallway almost spooked her. Her shoes tapped on the tile floor, her skirt swayed to and fro, and her nervous hands twisted the small slip of paper into a tiny tube. She slowly looked up at the door beside her. The number shining there was the same as the one on the paper. She checked again, just to be sure it was the right classroom. When she was satisfied, she reached out and pulled the door open, very slowly.

There were many desks in the room, all lined up in six neat rows. The students who occupied those desks were all bent over sheets of paper, their hands moving rapidly, their pens and pencils creating little etching sounds that seemed audible from three yards away. An air of anxiousness hung about the room, eyes shifted nervously, and all of the students agonized over remembering what was written upon their tests. No one spoke for fear of being accused of cheating, save two boys near the back of the room who whispered as quietly as they could. As the door creaked open, nearly every pair of eyes in the room rose to see who had entered the room. Each looked keen to know what name might be on that slip of paper, eager to leave the dead room. The teacher, sitting at a large desk on the other side of the room looked up from his paperwork. He evaluated her with his eyes for a moment as the girl made the long, uncomfortable walk toward him; all eyes were on her.

"Do you have a name for me?" the teacher asked, expecting this girl to be an aid from the office, coming to pull one of his students out of the class for one reason or another, just as the other students hoped for. Confused, the girl froze, watching the teacher intently.

"I…" She took two more steps forward with her hand outstretched, offering the teacher the paper. As he took it, the students began to murmur; the two boys in the back of the room went back to swapping answers while bugging another boy and girl beside them, attempting to actually _pass_ this test.

"Ah, I see…" the teacher whispered. "They're taking a test at the moment. You may take the empty seat beside Mr. Wheeler." One of the two boys who had taken to cheating looked up.

"Me?" he asked, his eyes widening with hope.

"No, Mr. Wheeler; it isn't an exit slip; she's a new student. Don't hurt her."

Joey scoffed as he deflated. "Hurt her, where'd he get that idea…?"

The teacher scanned the paper again. "Your name is Lea…? Wait, there isn't a last name here…" He looked up at the brunette. Her whole body tensed as she shook her head. The teacher frowned. "You _do_ have a last name, don't you?" he asked, jokingly. Again, the teen shook her head. The teacher's head recoiled as the girl quickly made her way down the isle and sunk into the desk beside Joey. She stared at the fake wood of the table-top and tried her best to block out the whispering around her. Yugi and Téa peered round Tristan to see this girl.

She sat with her head tilted down; she seemed confused and lost, and quite uncomfortable. Her hair was a golden brown and her eyes a deep blue; she had eyes one could easily get lost in. She wore the typical school uniform, though it was faded and old, and a bit tattered and torn. It looked as if it were nearly as old as she was. She also wore a bandana around her forehead; an odd accessory when paired with her earrings, choker and metal headband.

As the teacher regained his composure, he asked the students for quiet. Quickly, the muttering dissipated and silence filled the room again. Lea sat at her desk, unmoving and silent and waited with the class for the bell to ring. Time ticked by with a torturing slowness. Writing utensils etched away as Lea's eyes drifted in and out of focus. The tiny, darker lines blended with the lighter base of her desk, then back to their crisp designs, then back again. Her ears blocked out all but the etching and she focused only on her desk. The ticking of the nearby clock tolled in her mind, the low thud of each second sounding like a foghorn in her mind.

With tiny sighs, students began to finish their tests, pushing away the paper, throwing away the pencil, and burying their aching heads in the nook of their arms. Lea's eyes drifted into focus as they rose to see the backs of many heads. Her ears tuned into the whispering beside her. She needn't listen, though, to know that two of her new classmates were cheating on their tests. Her eyes slowly drifted over to Joey and Tristan. They seemed to be arguing over an answer. She waited, watching to see what would unfold. Finally, Joey turned to Téa, who had long finished, and asked her, outright, what the answer was. Hushed retorts lead the cheating pair down a dead-end road. They next turned to Yugi, but Téa saved him from saying anything. Lea smiled as she allowed a curtain of hair to hide her from their argument.

"Misters Wheeler, Taylor, and Moto, and Miss Gardner… do you mind informing the class about your little debate?" the teacher asked, without even looking up. The four students froze.

"Debate?" Téa asked, weakly, "What debate, Sir? H-heh…."

"Please stop your quarreling; else I fail all of your tests." The four nodded as Lea suppressed a giggle, surprised to see that they had gotten away mostly unscathed. The teacher sighed. "Alright, students, please pass your tests to the front of your row." Joey and Tristan scribbled their names on the little horizontal lines at the top of the tests before handing them to Yugi and Téa, respectively.

Mutters of, "How'd you do?", "Did you get number thirty-seven?", "Yeah, that one was hard!" broke out all over the room as the students began to regain life. Lea lowered her head again, hiding from the murmurings. She closed her ears to these sounds and stared intently at the desk.

She jumped when the bell rang. The teacher rose, bid the students a good lunch, bid Lea good luck and turned, with a suitcase full of tests, toward the door. The students around the new girl began to sift through book bags and backpacks, pulling out sack lunches or money with which to barter with other students. The aromas of lunch filled the small room. Lea's stomach churned as a tiny noise flittered from her thin body.

"Why wouldn't you tell us that answer, Téa?" Joey hissed as leaned back in his chair, tearing open a bag of chips. Lea listened in, having nothing better to do and no control over it anyway.

"Why else, Joey?" Téa replied, "Cheating is wrong, you should know that."

"Yeah," he continued, "But me and Tristan mighta failed that test!"

"You _did_ tell us we need to get our grades up," Tristan added.

"But not by cheating!" Téa retorted. She scoffed, muttering, "Stupid boys…", then turned to her lunch. Lea stifled another giggle before turning to face the window beside her, hiding from the small noise she had made. Yugi looked back at her, smiled and turned to the others.

"I think she's been listening," he whispered as the others turned to look at him, then over at the new girl.

"Yeah," Tristan murmured, turning in as Téa did the same, "I've heard her laugh a couple times…"

"We should talk to her," Téa added, "Y'know, be nice; she _is_ new, we should make her feel welcome." She looked at Joey. "You first, Joey, since you're the one staring at her."

Joey blinked, looking back at his friends. Tristan grinned. "_I wasn't starting at her_," Joey hissed. He had barely been paying attention and hadn't noticed that he was even watching her.

"But, Joey," Yugi whispered, "she knows you best, the teacher introduced her to you."

"_She doesn't know any of us! Especially not me!_"

"But you're sitting right there." Tristan shoved Joey's arm lightly, as if nudging him forward to do something. Joey growled quietly. Another noise leaked from behind the curtain of hair. Yugi looked over in time to see Lea's right eye disappear behind the brown wall.

"I'll do it," he whispered, standing up, and then walked around his row of desks and down the isle Lea had hurried down earlier last period. As he approached the desk beside Joey's, the new girl lifted her eyes to the spiky-haired teen. Her face had turned a deep red, flushed with embarrassment. "Hi," he greeted.

"Uh… hi…" Lea replied, no sense of strength apparent in her voice.

"My name's Yugi Moto. You're new, right?"

"Heh… what on Earth gave you that idea…?" She lifted her head just enough for her hair to slide back into its normal position, the numerous pieces of chin-length hair once more framing her face. "My name is Lea… if you didn't hear the teacher before…"

"I'm Téa Gardner."

"I'm Tristan Taylor."

"And my name's Joey Wheeler."

Lea looked over at the others. She nodded, placing names with faces. "Nice to meet you…"

"You can join us, if you'd like," Téa invited, gesturing toward her friends.

"Thank-you, but," Lea hesitated, "I… uh… I ate just before I got here…" Lea looked away, hiding from her embarrassment.

"That's ok," Yugi interjected, "you don't have to eat if you don't want to, but, that doesn't mean you can't join us." He smiled kindly. Lea lifted her eyes again. Slowly, her lips pulled back into a smile that matched his. She rose from her desk and walked with Yugi around the row and down the isle surrounded by the group of friends. Yugi sat at his desk in front of Joey and Lea sat in the desk in front of Téa and Tristan.

"So… what school did you transfer from?" Téa asked, smiling at Lea as well.

"Um…" Lea looked around, "I doubt you've heard of it… it's… way out of town… not a big reputation, either…" Her voice drifted away as she looked down at her scuffed shoes.

"What d'ya think so far?" Joey questioned, leaning inward toward the isle to see the girl.

"Of the school…?" She looked up. "It's alright… I've only been here… for a little over an hour." The group nodded. "Plenty of nice people, though." And simultaneously, they smiled.

"Do you have any hobbies?" Yugi asked, reaching down and opening his backpack. He slowly pulled out a deck of cards.

"You're asking if I play Duel Monsters, aren't you?" Yugi looked up, a bit confused. Lea pulled her book bag onto her lap and opened the clip. She pulled out a small deck and held them up for all to see.

"I'll duel you," Joey cried immediately. He sounded eager to show her he was able to duel.

Lea smiled, nodding in acceptance of his challenge. "Alright, but, I have to warn you… I'm a bit rusty…" She rose to her feet, shuffling her cards as Yugi switched her seats so they would be able to play.

Joey sifted through his backpack, pulled out his deck, shuffled a few times, then placed them in front of Lea as she placed her stack in front of Joey. They cut their opponent's decks then passed them back.

Joey then announced, "Ladies first."

"Thanks… but… you might regret it…" She drew her preliminary hand of five cards, Joey mimicking her action. "Two thousand life points, right?" Joey nodded and Lea looked down at her hand, her face blank. She pulled a card from her hand, placing it face-down in defense mode. She then pulled out three more and laid them behind the first. "Alright, go ahead."

Joey frowned. She was planning something, but what it was was a mystery. He pondered for a moment, and then laid his Armored Lizard in defense mode on the field. Lea's face didn't move, but her hand did. Turning over the card behind her unknown monster, she put her Stop Defense card into play. Joey's mouth twitched as he slid his Lizard into attack mode. One side of Lea's lips moved upward. She reached forward a bit, turning over her Maho Vailo, and turned it upright. Téa smiled.

"Nice," she murmured, "that didn't seem rusty. Maho Vailo has fifty attack points more than Armored Lizard."

"I'm not done…" Lea muttered. She reached over to the other two cards that sat on either side of Stop Defense, revealing to the others a Black Pendant and a Malevolent Nuzzler. Joey furrowed his brows a moment, totaling up Lea's new attack points. "Maho Vailo has an attack value of 1550 points; Black Pendant adds 500 while Malevolent Nuzzler adds 700. That's 2750…" Joey's face melted into a look of shock, "but… thanks to Maho Vailo's special effect, I get 500 points for each of my equipped cards… I now have a grand total of 3750 attack points… more than enough to blow your Lizard and your life points away…" The group sat in stunned silence. "I win." Lea smiled and extended her hand out to Joey to shake.

"A lucky play," Joey remarked, taking her hand in his.

"Funny enough," Lea replied, retracting her hand and collecting her cards, "that isn't the first time I've had an opening move like that." She smiled and looked up from her book bag after hiding her cards within the black depths.

"Seems like you know the game," Yugi mentioned, "How long have you played?"

"Not sure… I think it was just after it was released. Something about it… caught my attention…. I don't really know what it was… but I felt… like I had to play." Lea shrugged. "I'm glad I started, though." She smiled again.

"Yug's the best one here…" Joey complemented, "I doubt you'd've beat him if you'd played him."

"With a hand like that," Tristan began, "I dunno if anyone would have survived that…"

"Well, that'd depend on their opening move…" Téa corrected, "Joey just put down the wrong monster."

"Hey," interrupted Joey, "I didn't have much of a choice; I got a bad hand; she lucked out!"

"If you'd like to play again sometime, I'd be glad to give you a rematch." Lea shrugged.

"Yeah… maybe tomorrow…"

"Tomorrow's Saturday, we won't be here then," Lea informed him.

Yugi looked over. "And you guys were going to come over to the shop tomorrow, too, Joey; remember?"

Joey thought for a moment then smiled weakly. "Oh yeah, don't worry, Yug, I didn't forget."

Lea looked away a moment, and Yugi noticed this. "You can come, too, Lea. My grandpa owns a card shop; you can update your deck if you'd like."

"I'd love to come… but I doubt I could buy anything… I have a… tight budget."

"That's ok," Yugi chirped. "We can meet at your house tomorrow and then-"

"No," Lea interrupted hastily, "no… uh, not my house… maybe somewhere else…. Y'know, scratch that… I'll find your grandfather's shop… I'm… good with maps." She began to rub her arm so furiously that the group was afraid she would rub it off. Yugi nodded, confused, along with Tristan, Téa, and Joey. Nevertheless, he gave his newfound friend the directions to the shop just before the bell rang and the next period's teacher entered the room.


	2. The Fair

A Figure from the Past

Chapter 2: The Fair

Heaven Sent Tenshi

_Standard disclaimer applies_

Lea looked up at the round-fronted building in front of her. She had had no problems finding the shop; in fact, it had been quite easy. She looked down at herself. She was wearing quite a different outfit today. It was mostly purple and black. She wore a black jacket over her dark purple tank top. She also adorned a pair of black slacks and dress-looking shoes. Over top of her pants, she wore a dark purple miniskirt; one that matched her shirt. To top the outfit off, a mesh shirt that fell to her ankles sat overtop of them all and a black belt to hold it all in place. Like her old school uniform, these clothes were a bit stained and tattered.

Adjusting the strap of her book bag, which she carried on her shoulder, Lea pushed the door of the quiet shop open. From inside, a voice greeted Lea upon entering the shop. Looking up, she saw an old man, who seemed to be about Yugi's height standing behind the counter. She faltered a moment before finally being able to answer his greeting.

"Uh… hello… I'm… looking for Yugi Moto… I suppose you're his grandfather…?"

Solomon Moto nodded. "That I am. You must be the new student that he told me about." He wore a kind smile and his purple eyes were lit with a deceptive youthfulness. "Yugi's upstairs; he wasn't expecting anyone until a little later."

"Oh…" Lea blushed, "I'm sorry… maybe I should come back later…"

"Oh, no, no, no; he asked me to get him when someone came. You just so happen to be the first. I'll be right back." With that said, he turned and disappeared through one of the two doorways, ascending a small flight of stairs. Lea rubbed her arm, looking around at the collection of games. The shop was tiny and she was surprised at how many things they were able to cram into the little space. As she approached the glass-fronted counter, she spied a collection of cards; Duel Monsters among others. She knelt down, placing a hand very lightly on the glass, watching the cards when she heard more footsteps on the staircase.

"Lea," Yugi greeted, "hey; I wasn't expecting you so soon." He smiled and leaned on the counter.

"Yes… your grandfather informed me of that… I didn't mean to be so early… I can come back later, if you'd like…" She slowly rose to her feet, watching the ground.

"Nah, stay here; the others should be here pretty soon anyway."

Lea nodded and looked up again. "The shop has a lot of games in it, I haven't seen so many in one place before… and in such a small space…"

"Yeah, Grandpa does a great job around here." The pair of relatives smiled as the eldest took his place behind the counter again.

"Well, knowledge of the field comes with age…"

Lea looked around and continued her admiration of the shop. Suddenly, she paused, looking back at the pair behind her. "Odd… I noticed you don't carry anything made by Kaiba Corp. Why not?"

Yugi looked over at his grandfather. "We… uh…"

"We carry the games, not their electronic counterparts," Solomon filled in. Lea looked over at him.

"I… suppose that makes sense…" She would find out later, perhaps.

"Kaiba's in your class; isn't he?" the eldest asked, looking over at Yugi.

"Yeah…" Yugi nodded, "he is, but he's been absent… something about a business deal in America."

A small bell sounded and the door to the shop opened.

"Hey guys!" Yugi called, forgetting, purposefully, the conversation they were having as Téa, Tristan and Joey entered the oblong room. The short teen rushed over to speak with his friends as Lea leaned against the counter. She watched her peers quietly as she again rubbed her arm. An air of separation created a curtain between her and the other four teens. Lea watched, more admiration in her eyes than ever, wishing that she could have experienced such a close friendship a time long before.

"So, Téa, how's the class fair coming along?" Yugi asked.

"Good, everything seems to be working really smoothly. Are you guys sure you don't want to help with this one?"

"No way!" Joey and Tristan chimed.

"Last time was stressful enough," Yugi murmured, massaging his right temple.

"And I don't wanna get sucked into bein' another oversized game piece!" Joey whined.

"Alright, alright," Téa muttered, waving her hands in front of her, "I get the idea…" She sighed.

"Class fair?" Lea questioned, having not heard of the event. Téa looked over.

"You haven't heard of it? The school hosts it every year. Classes get together and help to organize it! It's fun; do you-?"

"I wouldn't be of any help," Lea stated very flatly. Téa sighed in defeat again. "When is it, though?"

"Next week. I'm helping organize it. Everyone will be there; you're welcome to come, of course." She smiled, a tired look in her eyes. Lea nodded.

"It sounds like fun."

&&&&&

Lea leaned against the wall that separated the school grounds and the street outside. The sounds of happy teens rang in the air; the owners of the games cried out to their peers, calling them to play and the sizzle of yakisoba noodles and stir-fried vegetables filled Lea's senses. Her newfound friends hadn't shown yet; she was alone for the moment. Her eyes rose to take in the clear sky above her. Soft, fluffy clouds drifted over the blue with the occasional plane slicing the sky in two.

Life seemed to be improving for her lately. Things hadn't changed much outside of school, but inside, she had friends. It had been a long time since she had companionship. Her mind drifted down the path of memories, to a time when things were… different.

"Lea!" Joey cried, leaning around the opening in the wall.

"Hey Joey…" Lea walked over to him. "Where's everyone else?"

"They're inside; we're all waitin' for ya!" Joey took Lea by the hand and pulled her inside the school walls. Booths lined the many isles that littered the grounds. Lea looked over at a booth hungrily, eyeing the noodles. But she said nothing and allowed Joey to lead her through the crowd; she would come back later. Soon, the backs of Tristan, Téa, and Yugi came into view. "Hey, guys, guess who I found outside!" Joey smiled and pulled the girl forward.

"Hi," Lea greeted, a bit red at not having come inside to find them.

"We've been looking for you for ten minutes," Téa informed her, "Joey eventually got the idea that you were being your usual shy self and went to look for you out there." She smirked.

"How he got that idea, we still aren't sure." Tristan folded his arms over his chest, grinning to himself as he said this. Joey punched him in the arm shortly thereafter, causing Tristan to rub his injured appendage furiously. Lea hid her giggle behind her hand.

"We were gonna get some food," Yugi began, trying to ignore the two as he pointed off toward the other end of the fair, "You wanna come with us?"

"Sure," Lea smiled. Suddenly it faded as she looked at the ground for a moment, then back at Yugi. "I saw something at one of the booths back there; you guys go ahead, I'll catch up in a bit, kay?" With this said, she scurried off in the opposite direction.

She would have to hurry, in case anyone followed her; she hoped no one would. She darted through the crowds and finally came to the booth she wanted. Looking around revealed to Lea that no one was really paying attention to her. She ducked behind the booth, hidden from the view of the owners of the "soba shop" by an obnoxiously colored tarp. She watched as a student pushed a large mound of noodles around with a kitchen utensil atop a hibachi grill. A stack of plates sat beside the teenage boy. An order was placed by a few students, so he began to move the cooked noodles onto the plates. He miscalculated, however; when the customers left, a plate lay on the table that separated the chef and the other students. A second student, who was taking orders and tending the cash register, frowned at the plate, and, picking it up, she placed it on the table beside the hibachi grill, next to the stack of plates and chopsticks. Lea pulled the tarp back; there in front of her was the forgotten plate of steaming noodles. The boy was busy with the food on the hibachi and the girl busy with her nails. Neither of them saw Lea's hand shoot out from behind the tarp and steal the extra plate of noodles, along with a pair of chopsticks. She backed up, taking one or two deep breaths. When Lea gained her composure, she walked out from behind the booth with the noodles in hand, disappearing into the crowd.

As she neared the shade of the building, Lea felt a hand come down on her shoulder. She nearly jumped out of her skin as she whirled around, careful not to spill the contents of her stolen plate. Looking up, she saw that Joey had placed his hand on her shoulder. She placed her own, free hand on her chest.

"Joey, you scared me." She smiled.

"Why'd you steal that?" Joey asked, pointing at the noodles. Lea's eyes widened before she conveyed a look of confusion.

"What… what do you mean?"

"The noodles, you stole them; why?"

Lea shook her head. "I… I didn't st-"

"Lea!" he cried out, firmly. She cringed, looking around at the few people around them. "I saw you do it."

"I… I…uh…" Lea's eyes rested upon a shadowed nook in the building. "Over there," she instructed, "I don't want people listening in…"

Joey pursed his lips, but followed her nonetheless. As the darkness swallowed the two, Joey took her arm in his hand, keeping her from going further. "Tell me."

"I…" Lea looked away, "I have no choice… it's either this… or I starve…" Joey was thoroughly confused now.

"Lea, what are ya talking about? Why don't ya just pay for it?"

"I can't, Joey… I've no money to pay it with… Please… don't tell the others… I didn't even want _you_ know. Please promise me?"

"Why don't you just get money from your parents?"

"Joey, please… promise you won't tell them!"

"Why don't you?"

"I can't, Joey… I just can't!" For a moment, no one spoke. Lea still refused to look at Joey; instead, she stared very intently at the ground. She murmured something beneath her breath as she closed her eyes now. Joey reached down, took her chin in his hand and forced her to look at him.

"Lea… tell me."

"I… I… can't get money from my parents… because they're dead…" To Joey's surprise, no tears threatened to spill from her eyes, though they looked extremely hurt. He released her from his grasp, watching her, nearly captivated by her solemn eyes.

"Ya aren't lyin' to me, are you?"

"Joey… why would I lie about something like that!"

He shook his head. "I… dunno…"

"I'm sorry… I shouldn't have shouted…" Silence filled the air again as Lea's eyes drifted over to the uneaten noodles in her hand.

"I won't tell," Joey muttered suddenly, "I'll let _you_ do that."

Lea nodded gravely.

"They're… really gone?" Joey asked. Lea nodded again. "I'm sorry… How long?"

"Since I was little… I've… been on my own for a while now…"

"Wow… so you steal all the food you eat…?"

"It's not much… only a little bit every once in a while… just enough for me to live… That's why I've never brought a lunch…."

"Oh yeah… you're right… you've been 'lunchless' all week… When were ya gonna tell us?"

"I… wasn't planning on it…"

"Oh… When are ya gonna tell _them_?"

"I dunno…. When the timing's right, I guess…"

"Well, 'til then, I won't say anything…"

Lea looked up and then hugged him with her free arm. "Thank-you, Joey…."

The teen boy looked down, his blonde hair shadowing his face. A blush crept over his cheeks. "You're welcome…" When she pulled away, Lea looked away again, an identical blush upon her face, though more apparent.

"We should probably go back and find the others." Joey nodded and followed her out of the nook, back out into the sun.

"Hey, guys, over here!" Téa cried, waving them over.

"I heard the principal volunteered for the dunking booth!" Tristan shouted excitedly, "C'mon, Joey!" With that, the brunette raced off.

Téa and Yugi sighed. "He's so immature," she murmured.

Joey looked over his shoulder at Lea, who was nursing her plate of noodles. She looked up and caught his glance. Something in her eyes told Joey to go after Tristan and not miss his chance. And so he did, leaving Lea to walk with Téa and Yugi.

'_Did you see that?'_ Yami Yugi asked his hikari.

'_See what?'_

'_Joey looked back at Lea before he ran off… They've been acting odd lately… don't you think?'_

'_Hm…Joey has been volunteering to find her if she's disappeared…'_

'_Do you think something may be going on between them?'_

'_Well, I guess it could be possible…'_ Yugi looked over at Téa. _'I'll talk to Téa about it later… maybe she's noticed it, too.'_

Yami nodded in his ghostly form. _'There's something else I've noticed, too… it's odd… something about Lea… I just… I recognize her from somewhere… but I can't place it…'_

'_You recognize her?'_ Yugi was a bit confused.

"Yugi?" Lea asked, looking over from her plate of noodles. "Are you alright?"

He nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine." He smiled. Lea nodded as well, going back to her plate. She knew better.

'_You don't think she knows about me, do you?'_ Yami asked, a bit alerted.

'_Nah… how could she?'_


	3. The Meeting

A Figure from the Past

Chapter 3: The Meeting

Heaven Sent Tenshi

_Standard disclaimer applies_

Lea waved, shifting the strap of her book bag as she rounded the wall and began her journey down the sidewalk. Yugi watched as Joey stirred. Joey had been acting very strangely since he had run off with Tristan to send the principal into the water of the dunk booth.

"I gotta go," the fair-haired boy murmured, "See ya guys later." Yugi frowned as the teen jogged off, turning the same direction as Lea had not a minute before.

"Hey, Joey, wait up!" Tristan called, following after. "Bye guys!" He waved, leaving Téa and Yugi alone among the thinning crowd of fair-goers.

"Did you see that?" Yugi asked, watching the empty space in front of him.

"See what?" Téa asked. Yugi faintly noticed how related this conversation was to the one he had had with Yami earlier.

"Joey; it looked like he followed Lea. And that's not the direction he usually goes to get home…"

Téa paused. "You're right… that's weird… you don't think he followed her, do you?"

"Yeah… I think he might of… Haven't you noticed how…" he looked up at her, "_odd_… they've been acting…"

"I think he likes her…"

"Really?"

"Yep… clear symptoms… he likes her…"

"Since when, do you think?"

"I'm not sure… a few days ago, maybe…"

"And it's getting worse…"

"Yeah… ever since he went off to find her after we got food…"

"And he never got anything to eat…"

"Scary, isn't it?" Téa smirked. "Love makes people do crazy things…" Yugi nodded as they walked out, together, and headed for their respective homes.

Yugi stood before the mirror of his bedroom, staring into his own purple eyes. Yami leaned against the computer table near his bed, watching his fleshy counterpart.

"So, what did you mean when you said you recognized her?" Yugi asked, turning and sitting on his bed.

"_I'm still not sure… but I remember seeing her face somewhere… but I don't know where…"_

"Hm… This is weird…"

"_And have you noticed the bandana she wears?"_

"Yeah… I've kinda wondered about that…"

"_I think she's hiding something… I've seen a little bump under it…"_

"A bump? Like she hurt herself?"

"_No… something else…"_

"Like what?"

"_I don't know… but I have a bad feeling about it…"_

"You don't think it has anything to do with the Millennium Items, do you?"

"_I don't know… I didn't sense anything… but that is a plausible explanation…"_

"Maybe we should tell the others…?"

"_That might be best…"_

_&&&&&_

Lea listened to the tapping of her shoes on the cement. Her eyes were glued to the ground; Joey knew one of her secrets… now what? If she avoided telling the others, would he break his promise? She prayed he wouldn't. Her eyes left the ground and turned to the sky. She stared at the infinite blue and its little fluffy friends. Maybe if she told them, they wouldn't do anything? Maybe she could tell them, and nothing would change? Maybe it would; had she just dug herself a grave? Or had she, in fact, filled in that hole?

Lea's eyes dropped and she pressed her hands to her head. She shut her eyes, squeezing away the tears. What was she to do? Where was she to go? Would she keep running? Or did she finally find a place to stay and rest? Taking several deep breaths, she dropped her hands and opened her eyes. She would worry about it later… for now-

"Lea!" Joey called, running up from behind. The girl froze, turning her head toward him slightly.

"Joey… what are you doing?"

"Walkin' ya home."

"Oh, no, Joey, really… you…" Her eyes drifted over his shoulder. "Tristan's followed you."

"Huh?" Joey looked back to see Tristan's head disappear back around the corner.

"Go, I'll be fine…"

"No, lemme walk ya home."

"Joey… really, go. You don't need to…" She shifted her book bag again as she started forward.

"Hang on," Joey called, taking her arm in his hand for the second time. "I wanna talk. It won't kill Tristan if I walk ya home."

"Yeah, but it'll blow everything out of the water."

"Then meet me somewhere; I just have a few questions."

Lea paused and looked up at Joey. "… Alright… when and where?"

"The park… in an hour."

Lea nodded and Joey released her. He turned around and went to Tristan, who was straining to listen in on the conversation. As he reached the corner, Joey grabbed Tristan, shoved him back and punched him in the same arm as earlier.

"Ow! Joey, what was that for!"

"Eavesdropping." And he walked away, back toward his house. Tristan looked around the corner to find that Lea had disappeared. He paused, watching the sidewalk in confusion before following Joey to pester him until he got some answers.

Lea sighed and walked out of the alley she had ducked into. She prayed Joey would keep his end of their bargain as she started down the sidewalk again.

"Ok, so what was with that little conversation you had back there?" Tristan demanded upon catching his friend.

"None o'your business."

"Excuse me? C'mon, Joey; tell me."

"No; we were just talking."

"Yeah, but what about?"

"None-of-your-business." Joey said each word with emphasis, in order to convey to Tristan the meaning behind his words.

"Of course it is, Joey; now tell me!"

"No; she told me not to!"

"Joey!"

"_Tristan!_"

Tristan paused. Joey's words had been thick with annoyance. He began to ponder whether it was smart to continue.

"Alright, man… but I've got the feeling that you and her have something goin' on…" Tristan smirked. Maybe irritating him would get it out of him. But, no; Joey reached over and furthered Tristan's growing bruise.

"Ow! Joey!"

"Keep your mouth shut and this won't be a problem!"

Tristan whimpered, attempting to nurse his throbbing arm while Joey stomped off to his house.

&&&&&

Yugi descended the stairs outside his room. "Grandpa," he called, passing his grandfather as he headed for the door, "I'm going out!"

"Alright, Yugi, just be careful." Solomon smiled as he watched his grandson hurry off.

Yugi looked down at the slip of paper he held in his hand. It read "Park, hour after we left school. Meet up with the others on the way there."

'_Isn't this… rude?'_ Yami asked, a frown lining his ghostly face.

'_Well, kinda… but Tristan said he has a funny feeling about this little meeting… We should at least go and see what happens…'_

'_And we're sure Tristan has a reliable source?'_

'_He said he heard them talking about it…'_

'_So we're going off of a conversation he listened in on?'_

'_Uh… Yeah…'_

'_No, this isn't rude, of course not…'_

Yugi sighed and continued toward the park. Within a few minutes, he heard Téa and Tristan run up from behind him.

"Hey, Yug," Tristan greeted.

"I still don't think we should be spying on them…" Téa murmured, "It's wrong… and what if we see something we shouldn't?"

"Hey, I just want some solid evidence," Tristan retorted.

"Besides, Téa," Yugi chimed, "you don't have to come if you don't want to." Téa sighed, but never turned around. She was just as curious as they were, but she wasn't about to say that outright. As a group of three, they walked down the sidewalk, headed for the meeting place.

&&&&&

The park was fairly quiet. Lea padded up the dirt path, passing a group of laughing children. She looked over to find them running, climbing and jumping on and off of a jungle gym. She smiled as a warm memory washed over her. Children were laughing and chasing each other over a large black-top. A child her age and one much younger, were sitting, talking with her, and playing. They were happy together… until _it_ happened.

Lea shook her head, closing her eyes. She had worked so long to suppress those memories; why were they so suddenly haunting her? She continued down the dirt path, trying to listen only to the faint rustle of the leaves around her.

As the laughter of the children faded, she looked about for a place to sit and wait. She wasn't sure how long it had been, nor exactly when Joey would get there, but she would wait nonetheless. She found a deserted park bench and settled herself down upon it.

As Tristan, Téa, and Yugi entered the park, they went on high-alert. Praying neither Joey nor Lea would spot them, they advanced down the dirt path. They figured right away that they would head somewhere secluded, as there were many children in the park. Knowing this, they followed a path that was a bit rougher and less trodden by the many children who came to the park every day.

Joey looked down at the watch on his wrist. He was early, for the first time in his life. He had at least ten minutes to spare. Would she even be here, or was her house far from the park? Suddenly, he became worried. Would she come at all? Shaking his head, he started into the park. He noticed the abundance of children and followed a path that headed for the other end of the park.

As the group of three proceeded, they listened carefully. Téa looked off through a thick grove of trees and spotted something… odd.

"Hey, guys," she whispered, "look." She pointed off through the tangle of young overgrowth. A flash of purple disappeared among it. "I bet that's Lea." The others nodded as they carefully, quietly ducked into the trees.

As Joey rounded the bend in the path, Lea caught sight of him. She grabbed her book bag and shoved it beneath the bench, waving him over. He smiled, and hurried to the bench.

"Hey," he greeted.

"Hi, Joey… So?"

"Uh, yeah… Ok, so ya said you're… 'parentless'… right?" Lea nodded.

"Yes, Joey. They died when I was little."

Téa stopped moving. She looked back to see the shocked faces of Tristan and Yugi. "What?" she hissed. Yugi put a finger to his lips and pointed at the pair.

Joey sat down on the bench. "So… who's taking care of ya?"

"No one, Joey… I'm on my own…"

"What? So, how'd ya get into school?"

"I'm… still not sure…" She sighed. "Someone posed as my parent… and I suppose it worked… I really don't know how they bought it, though…"

"Who?"

"No one in particular…" Lea looked away.

"Then, where ya do live?"

"No _where_ in particular…"

"No home?"

"No, Joey…" she looked up, "I'm on my own… and I live where I sleep…"

"And… you steal all the food you eat?"

"Not all… if I find money on the streets, I'll use it to buy food…"

"Whoa… How d'ya do it?"

"Practice I guess… I've been living like this since… I left the orphanage…"

"Why didn't ya just stay there?"

"Where?"

"The orphanage."

"I… couldn't take it anymore… I couldn't stand being there… I was…" She shook her head. "It doesn't matter… I just couldn't stay there…"

"Why?" Lea shook her head. Joey sighed.

"Maybe… I think that's enough questions for now…" Lea stood up and turned to leave.

"Where are ya staying?" Joey asked.

"I… don't know… I never do… not until night falls… I might stay in the park tonight…"

"… It's dangerous around here at night…"

"Yeah… I know… but I'll be ok…"

The trio had formed somewhat of a pyramid in the trees. Yugi, unfortunately enough for him, was at the bottom, being the shortest. He was leaning on a tree, while Téa leaned against him and Tristan against her. Yugi's arms were growing tired and beginning to shake. He bit his lip.

"Guys…" he hissed. "Guys… my-"

"Shhh…" Téa whispered.

"But…"

"Sh!"

Yugi bit his lip again, squinting his eyes closed.

'_My arms, I think I'm gonna fall!'_

'_Yugi, don't fall forward! Whatever you do, don't fall forward!' _Yami called.

But, his instruction did not help the poor teen. His arms gave way and through the trees the trio fell. Joey, upon hearing the commotion, leapt from his seat and turned around, ready to protect Lea should this noise be of any threat. Lea gasped, taking a step back and hovering her hand over the bandanna on her forehead. Upon inspection, the two relaxed.

"Guys!" Joey cried, fury twisting his face, "How long were ya there!"

Tristan looked up, attempting to detangle himself from the mound of bodies. "Long enough!"

"Lea," Téa exclaimed, "we had no idea!" Lea stood watching them; it suddenly sunk in.

"You… you three eavesdropped…. How many of you do that!"

"Guys!" Yugi's muffled cry yelled, "I can't breathe…!" Téa gasped and scrambled to her feet, helping Yugi up from the ground. He panted, attempting to catch his breath.

Lea shook her head. This wasn't the way she wanted to tell the others… this wasn't her plan at all. She took several more steps back. "I… I can't believe this…" With that, she turned on her heel and fled the scene.

"Lea!" Joey screamed. But his call had fallen on deaf ears and Lea had disappeared from eyesight. His shoulders slumped. He'd blown it. He turned toward the others. "Look what ya did!"

"We just wanted some facts," Tristan retorted, "You guys wouldn't tell us anything. If you said something earlier, Joey-"

"She didn't want me to say anything! I was gonna wait and she was gonna tell you three later!"

Téa cringed. "I knew we shouldn't have come…"

"It's not like _you_ turned around…" Tristan murmured.

"I think we all screwed up…" Yugi corrected, getting to his knees. "And I think she forgot something…"

The group looked over at Yugi. He bent down, reaching under the bench. After a moment, he produced Lea's book bag; she had left it in her distraught state. Joey reached down and took it from him.

"You guys can go, I'm gonna go find Lea."

"No, Joey," Yugi interjected, "we need to talk to her, too."

"Yeah," Téa and Tristan agreed.

"We're at fault, too," Téa murmured. Joey scoffed and walked off. "Hey, you jerk, wait for us!"

Joey never slowed, but the others were able to catch up with him. They didn't want to be around Joey when he seemed to be upset, but they knew they would need to talk to Lea as well.


	4. Explosions

A Figure from the Past  
Chapter 4: Explosions  
Heaven Sent Tenshi

Lea proved difficult to find. The group of four wandered around the park for ten minutes before giving up and taking to the streets of Domino.

"I can't believe she just took off like that…" Téa murmured.

"I can…" spat Joey. He gripped tighter to Lea's book bag but never looked back at her.

"Look, Joey," Tristan began, crossing his arms over his chest, "your attitude's gettin' on my nerves. So why don't you just cool it?"

"Why don't you stop spying people?" Again, Joey refused to look back.

"I only did it once!"

"Twice!"

"Fine, whatever! Point is, Joey, you shouldn't be mad at us!"

Joey turned his head, emitting a frightening glare from his eyes. "Gimme one good reason."

"We're your friends and friends should forgive each other," Tristan hissed.

Téa nodded. "He's got a good-"

"Yeah, well, I'm not the one who upset Lea!"

"What's with you, Joey?" Tristan glared back at him, suspicion clear in his eyes. "You're always protecting Lea and you barely know her!"

"I know her better than you!"

"We all know her about the same now, Joey," Téa muttered. Joey grumbled something incoherent and went back to his walking.

"Fine, be that way!" Tristan shouted, looking away and scanning the area. Téa sighed as he did this, also looking about. Yugi caught her eye. He was staring across the street and hadn't said anything in quite some time. As least, not out loud.

'_Did you see her reach for her bandana when you fell through the trees?'_ Yami had asked.

'… _No, I couldn't see much of anything…'_

'_I still believe there's something she isn't telling us…'_

'_Yeah… probably… but what? Do you still think it's a Millennium Item?'_

'_Perhaps, though, it's a stretch… We may have seen her use it by now…'_

'_True…'_

"Yugi?" Téa asked. Yugi blinked, looking up from the road.

"Yeah?"

"You haven't said anything since we left… at all…."

Yugi looked back at the street. "I've just been thinking…"

"What about?"

"… What Lea's been keeping under that bandanna…"

Tristan looked over at him as Téa watched the back of Yugi's head. Joey made no unusual moves, however, he listened intently.

"What d'ya think it is?" Tristan inquired.

"Not sure… but… What if it's another Millennium Item?" All three pairs of eyes, besides Yugi's, widened.

"Ya think?" Tristan asked, pondering over what truth could lie in his statement.

"It's possible…" Téa added, "I mean… she did beat Joey in two moves…"

"No way…" Joey murmured, "I doubt it…"

"You just want her to be normal," Tristan hissed.

"Who doesn't?"

"Guys, stop fighting!" Téa griped, "We'll never find her if you two keep bickering!"

Joey and Tristan scoffed simultaneously and went back to their search.

"Uh… guys…" Yugi muttered. The others looked back at him. He pointed.

A small glow was coming from an alley a block up the street. It was a pale violet and growing in intensity.

"Weird," Téa gasped.

"We should go check it out," Tristan cried, bounding forward. As he took his fourth step, something exploded. The noise resembled a sonic boom and a flash as bright as a thousand suns lit up the area. The teens shielded themselves, preparing to be killed by what seemed like a bomb. They were thrown back nearly two yards, but otherwise were unscathed. The blast resonated from the core of the light and continued past them, setting off car alarms, shattering weak windows, and frightening several people.

Joey was the first one to his feet. Without uttering a single word, he raced off toward the epicenter; something told him to worry, but to go toward it. Tristan sat up, along with Téa and Yugi, rubbing his head where it had hit the cement. He looked up.

"Joey! Where're you going!" He chased after him with Téa and Yugi in tow.

As Joey reached the building that created one wall of the alley, he stopped; he was breathing shallower. Suddenly, he gasped, rushing into the nook.

"Joey! What is it!" Téa cried. She saw, along with Yugi and Tristan, as they reached the alley.

Lea was breathing heavily and she gripped her bandanna tightly, making sure it wouldn't slip. Joey was sitting her up and helping her keep her balance while seated.

"Thank-you, Joey… I'm fine…"

Her hair was extremely messy. It looked as if she had sat in front of a large fan for several minutes. A small stream of blood lined her chin. She reached back, tying the bandanna securely into place.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah…" Lea made a move to stand and Joey helped her up. "Thank-you," she muttered again. She leaned away from him, but nearly collapsed. Joey held onto her, allowing Lea to lean against him and support her weight.

"Don't worry, I'll help ya…"

"What happened here?" Téa asked, concern apparent in her voice.

"I'm… not sure…" Lea refused to look at anyone; in fact, she hadn't even looked Joey in the eye yet.

'_A Millennium Item wouldn't do that… would it?'_ Yugi inquired.

'_Perhaps…but, I'm not sure…'_

"Are you alright?" Téa continued to ask.

"Yes… I just… I'm a bit tired…" Lea leaned a bit more heavily on Joey.

"Do you need a doctor?"

"No… just some rest…"

Tristan watched her apprehensively. "What happened again?"

"I… I don't know… I don't remember… there was that blast… and the light… and I blacked out and Joey sat me up… and…." She shook her head.

"Where'd the blast come from?"

"I don't know, I told you that…"

"Who-"

"Tristan," Joey growled, "stop with the questions already!"

"Don't jump all over me, Joey; she's the only one here that knows what happened!"

"No she doesn't; she said she can't remember!"

"She remembers…" Yami murmured. He had taken over Yugi's body and stalked forward. The puzzle around his neck glowed faintly.

"I… do…?" Lea asked weakly, attempting to look innocent as her head rose and her eyes met his.

"You created it, didn't you?"

"I…" She made a move to back up, but Joey, her only means of standing up, didn't budge.

"Yug, what're ya talkin' about?"

"She isn't quite as innocent as she would like us to believe…"

"You still think…" Téa began, but was unable to finish.

"Lea… what is it that you have beneath your bandanna?"

Lea shook her head and buried her face in Joey's shoulder. He looked down at her as Yami advanced a bit further.

"Lea?" Joey asked. She shook her head again. Suddenly, she pulled away, attempting to run, but slumped against the wall. She slid down, resting roughly on the ground.

"Lea, you can't hide it for long…" Yami continued, "Just tell us."

Lea began to take deep breaths. "Please… I…" She shook her head again. Was she going to be forced to reveal every secret in just one day? Why couldn't it just be one each day… or week… or month! "I don't want you to know!"

"Well, that narrows it down…" Tristan murmured. "It has to be… what else would she be hiding?"

Lea squinted at her tears. She waited a moment before freezing. Joey stepped forward, kneeling down. "Lea…?"

"It's… not what you think…" She shook her head again. "It's… I don't have an item like yours, Yugi… I don't have a Millennium Item…"

No one moved. They barely breathed. After several moments, Joey blinked. "You know about 'em?"

Lea nodded. Slowly, she rose to her feet, leaning, still, on the wall.

"If you know…" Téa deduced, "then you _do_ have one."

"No, it's not that." Lea faltered then caught herself on the wall again. "Just because I know about _dogs_ doesn't mean I have one."

"That's different!" Tristan cried.

"So am I!" Lea froze as she said this. She slapped her hand over her mouth; she hadn't meant to say that.

"Lea, please," Téa implored, "tell us what's going on."

The girl looked away. "I… I can't… you'll leave…"

"Leave?" Joey asked, perplexed.

"Yes… just like my parents… and everyone else…"

"Lea," Yami pressed. She shook her head again and again, but he only continued. "If it isn't a Millennium Item… then what is it…?"

"I'll…" Lea looked up, "I'll only tell if you four swear to never again speak of this… to _anyone_…" They nodded.

"It's your secret," Téa assured her, "we won't say anything."

"_Anyone_?"

"Anyone," was the resounding answer.

Lea paused, reached up to her bandanna. Her hand hovered for a moment over the knot at the back of her head before pulling at the old purple fabric. The group of four didn't move as they held their breath again. There, in the middle of Lea's forehead, shining in the small ray of sun that hit it was a gem. It was perfectly round and small in size; about two-thirds the radius of a dime. Like a good portion of her outfit, it was purple, though dim, as if it were meant to be lit up. Also, it was a semi-sphere; the other half of it was embedded into her forehead.

"What…" Joey began," What is it?"

Lea swallowed. "It's… well… I'm not sure… but… I've always called it a Psychic Jewel…"

"A what?" This question, also resounded, sounded hollow and somewhat monotone.

"A Psychic Jewel…"

"Psychic," Téa clarified, "as in, see the future?"

"Well… yes, that too…."

"What else?"

Lea sighed. "I'm clairvoyant, telekinetic, and I'm a telepathist…"

"Wait…" Joey murmured, thinking for a moment, "ya lost me…"

"Clairvoyant…" Téa thought aloud, "that's… being able to see things we can't… like the future, the past… and the present, too, right?" Lea nodded. "Telekinetic means you can move things with your mind… and telepathy is speaking to someone without actually speaking." Lea again nodded. Joey pondered this.

"So… you're not normal, are you?"

"Far from it," Lea whispered, looking away. "I'm sorry," she began in a louder voice, "I shouldn't have gotten involved with you all… I've brought all of you into something that you probably didn't want to be involved in…"

"You think we're not dealin' with weird stuff?" Tristan asked. "We know about those Millennium Items, don't we? I mean, Bakura's whole freak-out thing was really weird…"

"You're just as normal as I am," Yugi chirped, crouching down. He had his body back now.

"Yeah…" Joey nodded, "we're not afraid of you… we've got weirder things to worry about…"

"Like that creepy Shadow Realm…" Téa shuddered as she said this. Lea rubbed her arm.

"I suppose it was foolish of me to worry about telling you…"

"Didn't you know you would have to do it, anyway?" Tristan asked.

"I haven't used my powers for a while now…"

"What about earlier…?" Yugi asked. Lea paused…

"Yeah… that was me…" She nodded. "I… I got… frustrated… I do that when I get frustrated…."

"We shouldn't have done that…" Téa apologized.

Tristan and Yugi nodded.

"We should have left you two alone," Tristan murmured.

"And we shouldn't have eavesdropped," Yugi finished.

Lea nodded. "You were curious… and I shouldn't have kept it only between me and Joey… I should have told you guys right away…"

Another silence fell over the group.

"You're not hiding anything else, are you?" Yugi asked. Lea shook her head.

"No… that's all…" They nodded. Again, silence.

"Do ya still need a place to stay?" Joey suddenly questioned.

Lea paused. "I… I'll be fine…"

"I didn't ask ya that, I asked ya if ya had a place to stay." Joey smiled as he said this.

"… No, I don't…"

"We've got a spare bedroom," he pressed, "You'd probably be welcome to stay…"

"No, Joey… really, I don't want to intrude…"

"You won't be intruding."

"… I just… I think it would be best if I stayed out here…"

Tristan nudged Joey in the ribs with his foot. "Dude, she's the psychic, I think she knows better…"

"And I have the ability to defend myself… Really, Joey… I'm best off on the streets… take my word for it…" Lea reached out as she said this, placing her hand on his. Joey looked over and she smiled. Slowly, Lea rose to her feet again, leaning on the wall less and less. She took a deep breath and pushed away, standing up on her own. "All I need is a few hours sleep, and I'll be back to my normal energy level…" She paused, watching the teens around her. "Oh… when I use my jewel… I lose energy… the larger the blast or more advanced the ability I use, the more energy I use…"

"And that blast was enough to knock us backward…" Téa murmured.

Lea nodded. Suddenly, she looked up. "Speaking of that blast… I think the local authorities heard it…" Indeed, the faint wail of a siren called in the distance. "Perhaps… we should go…" The others nodded and those who were either crouched or kneeling rose to their feet. As a group of five, they jogged away down the street before the police arrived.

"So… you're gonna stay in the park?" Joey asked.

Lea sighed. "Yes, for the third time, I'm staying in park."

"Then we'll walk ya there," he insisted. The other three nodded, as Lea blushed faintly and rubbed her arm. "Oh, and, uh, here's your book bag…" He pulled the strap off of his shoulder and handed it back to her. Lea thanked him as they continued on.

As they reached their destination, Lea looked up at Joey. "Thank-you, Joey…" she hugged him lightly then pulled away, still blushing. "And everyone else, thank-you…" With that, she hurried off into the darkening depths of the trees and foliage.

Téa looked over. "I think she likes you, Joey…"

"Really?" Joey asked, somewhat anxiously.

"You like her, too, don't you, Joey?" Tristan teased, elbowing him. "Admit it!"

"What?" he cried, "No I don't!"

"Right, Joey…" Téa joshed as they walked away from the now quiet park.

Lea leaned against a tree, listening with more and more strain to the group as they teased Joey and he attempted to defend herself. The red on her cheeks grew a bit, but eventually faded with the voices. She sighed. Shifting her book bag on her shoulder, she slowly made her way out of the park, headed for the middle of town.

Slowly, she came upon the hotel she was headed for. She swallowed; she hadn't seen her in a while. Slowly, she made her way into the building. As Lea ascended the stairs, she began to rethink her decision. Should she really go and see her? Yes, she had to. She looked down the hall. The door at on the end was the one that she wanted. As she passed a large window, she looked out to see, in the fading light, the museum. The tapestries hanging outside the building ranted on about the new Egyptian exhibit. She would see it soon.

Her had rested on the knob; she knew she needn't knock, she would know Lea was there.

"Come in, Lea…" the voice inside called. Lea nodded, taking a deep breath. How long had it really been since she had seen her? Years… She turned the knob and opened the door. A woman with a black hair and dark skin sat upon the chair facing the window. Outside was the museum. Lea approached the chair with an air of caution.

"Hello…"

The woman smiled. She then turned her head to see Lea. "I see you've grown quite a bit since I last saw you… Good to see you again."

Lea nodded. "Thank you, Miss Ishtar…"

"Lea, please…" she turned back to the window, waving her hand dismissively, "Call me Ishizu… you have no reason not to…" Lea nodded again as Ishizu pointed to a door of the hotel room. "There is a bed made up for you."

"Oh, Ishizu… I couldn't… I mean…"

"No, Lea, you will… I have foreseen it…" Lea nodded again. "Haven't you?"

"I haven't activated my jewel in a while… Well… not for anything constructive, at least…"

"That's alright… but you will stay here for the time being…"

"How long will that be?"

"For some time… you will know when you are to leave…"

Lea nodded for what seemed to her to be the hundredth time. "Alright…" She turned from the woman and made to enter her room.

"Oh… and Lea…" The girl paused, looking back at her.

"Yes, Ishizu?"

"Did all go as planned?"

"Yes… Moto, Wheeler, Gardner and Taylor all trust me… to a large extent…"

Ishizu nodded. "Good… all will go as it should, then…"

"Ishizu? Not to be rude… but… you've seen what will happen… correct?"

"Yes… And… do not try to use your jewel again…"

Lea nodded. "It backfired…"

"And it will backfire again should you try to use it when you are not to."

Lea nodded again. "I am to wander in the darkness for now…"

"Correct…"

She gestured her understanding and turned the knob, opening the door to the room. It was small with a twin bed against the wall and a computer table against another, minus the computer. This would mark the first time she had slept in a real bed since she had last met Ishizu in Egypt.

"Good night," the woman called. Lea responded with a mimic and flopped down on the soft bed. She fell asleep almost instantly.


	5. The Return and the Past

A Figure from the Past  
Chapter 5: The Return and the Past  
Heaven Sent Tenshi

Lea rubbed her back lightly; it ached from the soft bed she had been sleeping on for the past few nights. She pushed the door of the lobby open as she looked over at the museum. It still displayed the Egyptian exhibit. The museum _was_ open… and she _did_ have an hour to kill…

As she ascended the steps of the large building, she pondered whether it was the correct time to visit the exhibit. She knew she would see it; she had had a dream several weeks ago that involved it. She nodded to herself and paused at the door. She hadn't the money to go in. She sighed, turning around. Standing behind her was Ishizu.

"Not yet," she assured the girl. Lea paused and nodded.

"You'll take me in, won't you?" It was now Ishizu's turn to nod. Lea made her way down the stairs as the other went in. She would see it soon enough.

&&&&&

The school grounds were bustling with the chatter of teens as they made their way to their classes. Lea lingered by the wall, watching as students passed by. She sighed and leaned against the buttressing near her, staring at the sky. Today didn't feel like any other. Something was bound to happen, but she wasn't quite sure what.

As Lea dropped her book bag on the ground, easing the small pain in her shoulder, she heard Joey running over to her. "Hey Joey," she greeted, rubbing her shoulder.

"Hey; seen anyone else around yet?"

Lea shook her head. "No, you're the first one I've seen all morning."

"Maybe they're inside, c'mon." Joey took Lea's hand, paused just long enough for her to retrieve her bag and re-shoulder it, and then pulled her into the school. As the crowds around the pair grew thicker, Lea grasped Joey hand a bit tighter, trying her best not to lose him amongst the sea of bodies. Soon, they stopped in front of their classroom. "You didn't see 'em on the way in, di'ja?"

"No, they're probably already seated." Indeed, Yugi, Téa, and Tristan were conversing as they sat at their desks. They waved the pair over as they spotted them.

"Hey guys; where were you?" Yugi asked. Tristan sniggered. Joey, upon hearing him, backhanded the top of his head.

"Hey, watch the hair!"

"Guys; no fighting," Téa hissed. "If the teacher catches you when she gets in here, you two are gonna end up with another lunch detention."

"And then we won't have our lunch-time entertainment," Lea added, a smile splitting her lips. Yugi and Téa snickered as the other two deflated.

"Fine, fine," Joey murmured, lightly elbowing Lea and taking his seat. Lea rubbed her arm as she made her way to her desk beside Joey.

"Something wrong?" Yugi asked, seeing her nurse her arm.

"Nah… my muscles have just been sore lately…" Joey looked concerned as she said this, but Lea waved it off. As she pushed her bag beneath her desk, Lea's eyes wandered over to a seat at the other side of the room. She had never once seen anyone sit there… either the student had been absent this entire time, or something else was going on… "Who sits there?" she asked, pointing at the desk.

Yugi was the first to answer. "You remember when my grandpa mentioned something about Kaiba being in this class?" Lea nodded.

"That's his seat?" she asked. The others now nodded. "How long is he expected to be gone?"

"Actually…" Téa pondered for moment, "Wasn't he supposed to be back today?"

"Yeah," Tristan nodded, "He was just supposed to be gone for the week."

"Then, shouldn't he already be back?" Joey asked, counting the days on his hand.

"I've been here for ten days," Lea thought aloud, "he should have been back by now."

Just as Lea finished her sentence, the door opened. The group glanced back and witnessed the entrance of their teacher. She smiled sweetly and laid her suitcase on the desk. "Alright, students, the bell will ring soon, everyone go back to your desks." Hurriedly, classmates scrambled to their respective seats, praying they wouldn't be tardy. Lea sighed, leaning back in her chair. As the bell rang, the door opened, sending a flood of late students into the class. The teacher sighed and while taking names, made to close the door again. As it was about to shut, someone pushed it open again.

The teen standing behind the door was tall, with brown hair and blue eyes. Lea stared at him for a moment. A picture flittered in her mind for a fleeting moment. She frowned. "Couldn't be…" she muttered. The others looked over.

"Oh, great," Joey grumbled, "guess Kaiba _is_ back."

"That's Kaiba?" Lea asked. The others nodded.

"Nice of you to join us again, Seto Kaiba," the teacher invited, "I'm sorry, but that's tardy for you…" Kaiba waved it off as Lea froze, sitting stock-still.

"Lea?" Joey asked, waving his hand in front of her face.

"_Seto Kaiba_?" Lea mouthed. "No… i-i-it can't be…" But it was.

"Lea?" Joey asked again. "_Lea_!" The girl blinked, suddenly breathing again. Her eyes drifted over to Kaiba's seat.

"Seto…? That's his first name…?" The others nodded again.

"Yeah, why?" Joey inquired, confused by this odd reaction. Lea rose from her seat abruptly, hiding her face with her hair. She hurried to the front.

"Miss?" she asked the teacher.

"Yes, Lea?"

"I… I don't feel well… would it be alright if I went to the health office?"

The teacher, looking somewhat startled by this new ailment, nodded. "What's wrong?"

Lea thought for a moment. "Stomach ache…" The teacher sighed, retrieving a pass from her suitcase.

"Alright… but come back as soon as you feel better… lots to do this period…" Lea nodded, taking the slip from the teacher.

"Lea," Joey called, standing up.

"Tut tut, Mr. Wheeler, I don't think she needs an escort." Joey paused as Lea looked back at him. The look she gave him was one that confused him.

Meanwhile, Kaiba was watching the girl from his desk. 'Lea?' he thought, 'I knew someone by that name… I wonder… No… she left this place…' As Lea hurried toward the door, he caught a glimpse of her face. Brown hair… blue eyes that resembled sapphires… and the bandana! Kaiba quickly sprung to his feet, following the girl out the door. Joey stood by his desk, looking befuddled.

"Mr. Kaiba!" the teacher called, running to the door.

Lea nearly broke out into a run when she heard Kaiba's footsteps. 'No… no, don't follow me! For goodness sake, leave me be!' As she neared the corner in the hall, she ran. Kaiba growled in frustration. He needed to figure this out; if it _was_ her, he wanted answers. He broke out into a run not a moment after she did, and having height on his side, which accompanied longer legs, caught up to her quite quickly. Grabbing Lea's arm, he forced her against the nearby wall. She screeched, fighting to be free of his grip, but he was determined.

"Lea?" he asked, realization crossing his face. "It can't be…"

Lea's breathing was shallow. Her chest heaved as she stared up at him. "Let me go…" she respired. Kaiba's grip only tightened. "I don't want to have to hurt you, Seto!"

"Hey, Kaiba!" Joey cried, attempting to tackle the CEO. "Get away from her!" As this was said, Kaiba threw his fist into Joey's jaw. He stumbled back, falling to the ground.

"Joey!" Lea cried. Kaiba's eyes drifted over to psychic.

"I see you've made some new friends…"

"Release me, Seto; I swear it, I'll blow you into last week!"

"You don't have the heart…" Kaiba sneered. Lea paused. "Otherwise, you'd have done it the day you left."

"Joey, Lea!" Lea and Kaiba looked over to see Yugi, Tristan, and Téa advance up the hall.

"Kaiba!" Tristan yelled, "Let go of her!" Kaiba growled, looking back at Lea. She had tears in her eyes now.

"You owe me an explanation…" he hissed, "you just ran off… and Mokuba and I never saw you again…" The four others paused.

"Lea, what's he talking about?" Joey demanded, slowly getting to his feet again, rubbing his jaw.

Kaiba pulled back, releasing Lea from his vice-grip. She stood there gasping for air like a fish recently placed in its tank after five minutes of lying on a table. And she felt just as helpless.

"You four won't know anything until we have this straightened out," Kaiba snarled. He took Lea's arm in his hand again as he went to drag her away.

"Seto!" Lea cried again, pulling at her arm. Joey growled, charging forward. Kaiba glanced back at him, then side-stepped, clothes-lining him with his now outstretched arm. Lea gasped, pulling away again. But Kaiba refused to let go, drawing her away from the group.

"Lea!" Joey stumbled to his feet again, making another run at him, but only ended up causing further injury to himself. Lea stopped, watching as Joey sat kneeling on the ground. "Let her go!" he growled

Lea's eyes went out of focus for a moment. She didn't want Joey to get hurt again, and she only knew this would continue if she kept fighting Kaiba. Joey leaned against the wall, tending to his bleeding nose as he glared daggers at Kaiba, who didn't even seem to notice. "Stop, Joey…" she pleaded. "Seto and I must talk… no more fighting, please… I'll go with him and then come back…" Joey stood there, watching her as she followed Kaiba down the hall and around another corner. Tristan came up behind him.

"Hey, man, that looked like it hurt…"

"Which one?"

"All of it…"

Joey spat out a small amount of blood on the floor in response, sinking down to the tile beneath him. It hurt even worse to see Lea go off on her own with Kaiba.

Kaiba stopped, releasing Lea again as she shrunk against the wall, frustrated tears filling her eyes. "Alright, now, tell me what happened. Why did you leave?"

"Why else?" she cried, sinking down to the floor. Kaiba growled.

"I want an answer!"

"You discarded me like an old play-thing! You didn't care if those brutes killed me or what!"

"Discard!"

"You threw me into the lions' pit! You didn't care! You wanted me gone! So why do you keep pestering me!"

"Wanted you gone? Lea, I was trying to help you, not kill you!"

"_Help me_? How is standing back as those… those bullies hit me like a punching bag trying to help me? You aren't making any sense!"

"You don't remember it at all, do you?"

"Better than you, apparently!"

"Then tell me what happened."

Lea paused. "Eh… _what_?"

"Recount to me what you believe happened."

"I just did!"

"No, in greater detail. Apparently, you have something instilled in your mind that you've made yourself believe. Odd that you don't seem to understand the situation at all when you have that jewel in your forehead…"

Lea shook her head. "I can't believe you still remember… Nor that you still believe in it…"

"Just tell me already!"

"Yell at me again, Seto, and I'll pull this bandana off…" Seto growled, crossing his arms over his chest. Lea sighed.

"The sun was shining, and there weren't many clouds in the sky…"

"Enough about the weather…"

"Don't rush me, Seto!" Silence filled the hall for a moment before she went on. "I was waiting by the fence, just like normal. I hadn't seen either of you, you or Mokuba, that whole day. I didn't think you were ignoring me, at least, I hoped you weren't.

"The other orphans went off to play hopscotch or jump rope, or wallow around in the sand box, but I waited for you like I did every other day. I enjoyed talking to you two; you guys were the only people who understood and accepted me… until now…

"You were late; the both of you… and those bullies knew it, too. I guess they figured that if you hadn't shown up yet, you might not at all… and they knew you were the only one they had to worry about… I guess those boys grew restless… they hadn't been able to pick on me since the day we met, when you chased them off… They started threatening me… but I wasn't worried, I knew you'd chase them off again, just like always…. But you didn't come. I remember looking up, seeing you and Mokuba standing on the other side of the playground… you were holding his hand and he looked anxious. But you just stood there, a placid look on your face… your once friendly eyes cold and icy…. I knew right away something was wrong… they noticed it too…. When those boys decided you weren't going to help me, they got a little rougher, pushing me around and sending me to the ground…. I was crying… I was scared… I was confused, most of all…. You'd thrown me to the lions' pit… something had changed radically, and you didn't care… you didn't like me anymore… but I hadn't done anything wrong…" Lea shook her head, wiping at the tears in her eyes. "I thought you were my friends… I really did… but I guess I was wrong…"

"Alright, that's enough." Lea looked up at Kaiba. "You're so far off…"

"Well, then, _you_ tell _me your_ side of the story," Lea murmured, still nursing her tears.

Kaiba scoffed. "I was always the one to protect you back then, you _and_ Mokuba. Ever since we'd met, you became instantly dependant on me. I knew that one day, you'd be adopted, and you'd lose your protection. You would go out into the real world and never be able to defend yourself. I knew I had to put a stop to it, or else you would get hurt. I told Mokuba about it, and, obviously, he thought it was a bad idea. I convinced him, though. When we'd gone outside, I saw those bullies harassing you; I knew it would be the time to wean you off of the idea of me playing hero all the time. I wanted to know if you could protect yourself. That's why we never came over, that's why Mokuba never said anything." Lea sat on the ground, staring at the wall in front of her. Was it true? Or had they been separated so long that he had had the chance to make up a false story? "Mokuba still hasn't forgiven me for doing that to you… I don't know if he ever will… He misses you…" 'And so do I…' he finished in his thoughts.

Lea pulled her bandana off suddenly. Kaiba recoiled, preparing to be hit by something. But it never came. He watched as Lea activated her jewel; the surrounding area was lit up by an eerie purple light. Lea's hair floated in a halo around her head and she was bathed in the light emitting from her jewel. She was surprised to find that her jewel wasn't acting like it had the last time she had activated it; it wasn't about to backfire.

Darkness enveloped her sight as Lea closed her eyes. She was going to get to the bottom of this whole ordeal. Pictures swirled and danced by her, dates and times and events surrounded her. Within moments, she was back at the orphanage. She stood among two lines of beds in an otherwise blank room.

"But, Brother, what if she gets hurt?" Lea turned to see Mokuba sitting on his bed while Seto sat on the one beside it.

"She won't… if things get bad, I'll step in… Don't worry, Mokuba… I won't let her get hurt…"

"But…"

"It'll be alright…" The eldest rose and smiled at the younger. "It'll be best for her if she doesn't always depend on me pulling her out of every situation."

"You wouldn't do that to me… would you?"

Seto placed his hand on Mokuba's shoulder. "I'll always be here to protect you… but… we might get separated from Lea…"

"I don't want her to get hurt…"

"Neither do I… but, she won't… I promise…"

Lea placed her hands over her mouth as she shook her head. Seto rose from the bed, taking Mokuba by the hand and leading him outside where the young Lea waited for them. She squinted away her tears and sunk down onto the bed beside her.

"He… wasn't lying to me… I… I can't believe this…" She shook her head again and a purple light filled the room she sat in.

Lea opened her eyes. A blurred figure hovered over her. She squinted her eyes and slowly things went into focus. Seto's face then came into view. Lea was lying in his arms, exhausted; she had nearly fainted during her trip into the past. "You…" Seto shook his head, signaling to her not to talk.

Joey had grown restless. He still sat on the ground, Yugi, Téa and Tristan standing around him. "I'm gonna go find 'em," he announced firmly.

"Joey, you can't!" Téa exclaimed.

"Watch me!" He scrambled to his feet and jogged down the hall. The group sighed and followed after. As Joey rounded another corner, he stopped. Seto was kneeling down on the ground with Lea in his arms. Joey felt as if he couldn't breathe for a moment. "Lea…?"

The pair looked back at him. Lea's eyes misted over again as she stared at him unblinkingly. Seto frowned and looked away. Tears leaked down Lea's cheeks, falling to the floor. "Joey…" she breathed. She sat up, Seto attempting to help her. Lea closed her eyes, pressing her hands against her face. She shook her head then doubled over, darkness devouring her sight.

"Lea!" was the last thing she heard. She wasn't sure who had yelled her name… perhaps it had been everyone in that hall…? All she knew was that her energy level had dipped down far lower than it should have and she had completely blacked out.


	6. Home Is Where the Heart Is

A Figure from the Past  
Chapter 6: Home Is Where the Heart Is  
Heaven Sent Tenshi

The nurse peaked through the window in the door. She was still in bed, good; she hadn't woken up, bad. She sighed, turning from the door to face Seto. His eyes slowly traveled up to her from the ground he had been staring at. She shook her head and he sighed as well. He had been sitting in the same position in the health office since first period. And the bell to signal the end of school had rung twenty minutes ago. But still he would wait.

"Mr. Kaiba?" another nurse asked as she passed him on her way out. "How much longer will you wait?"

"Until she wakes up…" he growled beneath his breath. That was the eighth time he had stated this.

"Well, if she doesn't wake up in the next half-hour, we're taking her to the hospital downtown."

"She'll be awake by then…"

"Yeah… you've been saying that for the last ten minutes… How do you know she will?"

"She's done this before…."

The nurse shrugged, confused, then proceeded out the door. Seto leaned back, staring at the ceiling. A moment later, his cell phone went off. It was Mokuba, judging by the ring tone.

"Seto, where are you? You're late! Everyone at Kaiba Corp. has been freaking out!"

"Tell them I'll be there when I get there."

"I tried!"

"I've got more important things worry about right now." Seto's eyes drifted over to the door beside him.

"Like what?"

"You'll see. It's… a surprise…"

"For who?"

"You; you'll be shocked, at least."

"What is it?"

"Not _what_… more like whom… Hm… never mind what I said earlier… I'm not coming into work today…"

"What! Why?"

"You'll find out later Mokuba… Are you home?"

"Yeah, and the phone's been ringing off the hook!"

"Stay there, then." With that, Seto ended the phone call, powering off the device and slipping into his pocket. Slowly, he rose to his feet and made toward the door of the room in which Lea slept.

&&&&&

Lea moaned very softly, her eyes flittering open. She sat up, looking around.

She was laying on a cot with a gray blanket pulled over her. The back of her head was a bit moist; looking back revealed that she had been lying on a plastic-covered pillow. Beside her cot was a bedside table. Atop it rested her headband, earrings, and choker. On the other side of the table was another, identical bed. The room was bare of much else, save a small window and the door with a glass pane inlet. She supposed that she must be in the "resting room" of the health office. How ironic; this was her original escape plan, and yet she ended up her in the end.

She slid her legs over the side of the bed, slipping her feet into her indoor school shoes. She lifted her eyes to the door as the knob turned. Seto's face appeared in the doorway, glowing from the light of the adjoining room.

"You're awake…" he remarked, entering the room.

"Yeah… but I have a pretty bad headache…" Lea lifted her hand to her head.

"I can imagine why…"

"Where's everyone else?"

"They left." Lea looked hurt for a second. "The last bell rang twenty minutes ago."

"Oh…" She smiled weakly; she had wondered whether they just didn't care anymore. But she shook the thought away. "How'd I get in here?"

"I brought you in after you fainted."

"Just you, or did the others help too?"

"That's irrelevant."

Lea frowned. "Irrelevant? But-"

"You don't have a place to stay, do you? The nurses mentioned that you haven't recorded an address."

"I…" She looked away.

"Did you ever return to an orphanage after you ran off?"

"… No… I went off on my own…"

"At that age?"

"I've been on my own ever since…"

"Then where are you staying?" Seto scoffed before he continued, "The streets?" Lea looked away, ashamed. She had achieved nothing since she'd left, Seto was leading a company. He paused. "You're joking, aren't you?"

"… No… I have a roof over my head right now, but not for long…"

"With who?"

"… No one important…"

"_Who_?"

"A woman I met a long time ago… She's in town for a little while… I'm staying in her hotel room…"

"For how long?"

"Until I haven't the need to… or until she leaves town…"

"An estimate, Lea."

"… A few weeks… tops…"

Seto paused again. "_Then_ where are you going?"

"… I don't know… I have no place _to_ go."

"Then you'll stay with me and Mokuba."

Lea's head shot up as her eyes widened. "What? No, Seto, I couldn't. I don't want to intrude-"

"You wouldn't be… Mokuba will be happy to see you."

"But…"

"You have no permanent place to stay. You need a bed and a home to go to." Lea looked away again.

"But…"

Seto reached down, taking her chin in his hand. He slowly forced her to look up at him.

"No more buts."

Lea shut her eyes, tears brimming them. Soon, a smile split her lips, her eyes opening again. She nodded and Seto smiled as well.

"Alright…" she whispered. She knew now what Ishizu had meant when she said that she would know when she would leave.

Seto released her chin and took her hands in his. Carefully, he pulled Lea to her feet. As soon as she was up, she wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly. For once, since that fateful miscommunication, things felt right again. They stood in the middle of the health office in silence as Lea's memory began to drift back to a time they were just as happy together.

&&&&&

The sky had clouded over and a gray drizzle had begun to fall. Lea sighed as she sat up in her bed, rubbing her eyes. Soft snores came from a few of the beds in the large room. She looked around at the other orphans in the hall. She knew that no one would be playing outside today, due to the rain that would soon fall more heavily.

Lea slowly crawled out of her bed, pulling her night gown off and her clothing on. She wore a short purple dress with long sleeves which accompanied a black tee-shirt, a pair of matching, though baggy pants, and a sash tied around her waist in a bow. She retrieved her necklace, earrings, and headband as well before she left the sleeping quarters.

She slowly made her way down the halls until she came to a room filled with chattering children. She picked her way between the tables of orphans, attempting to survive her journey to her friends. When she came upon the brunette and his black haired brother, she smiled, running toward them.

"Hey guys!" she cried.

"Lea!" Mokuba chirped, leaping up from his chair to hug her round the waist.

"Good morning," Seto added, sighing in response to his brother's action. Lea merely smiled, hugged Mokuba back, and took a seat at the table.

"Looks like we can't go outside…" she remarked glumly.

"That's ok," Mokuba giggled, "Me and Seto got a puzzle from the corner; you can help us!"

Lea smiled, looking up at Seto. "Sounds like fun." He smiled back, handing to her the lid of the box. "Oh, it's so pretty!" The picture was one of a curved bridge over a stream as it disappeared behind a grove of trees.

"I like it too!" the youngest chirped, smiling.

"But, it isn't all that challenging…" Seto murmured, taking several pieces from the small pile. He seemed correct; the puzzle was nearly complete, missing only a chunk from the middle and one or two from the outlying area.

"It's fun, though!" Mokuba also picked up a couple of pieces as Seto began to place his own on the table, linking them to the mass of colored cardboard-like pieces.

Lea nodded, helping to place the pieces, smiling again. Ten minutes hadn't even passed by the time they had finished. Seto looked down at the last piece on the table. He took it in his hand and turned it over.

"Last one," he murmured.

"Put it in!" Mokuba cried happily.

"Yeah, Seto; it'll look better when you do!" Lea added

Seto paused, watching the puzzle and the piece in his hand. Slowly, his eyes traveled up to Lea as she looked on in expectancy. "You do it," he suggested, handing the piece to her.

"Me?" Lea sounded as surprised and as happy as she looked.

"Yeah," he nodded.

"Do it, Lea!" Mokuba cried, still happy. Lea smiled, taking the piece from Seto and placing it in its spot. "Yay!"

Lea smiled again. She felt, suddenly, of high stature. It was an honor to her to be offered to place the last piece by Seto. She blushed, hugging the boy and continued to smile as the other two smiled as well.

Another ten minutes had passed when the three wandered from the room and began an aimless journey down the deserted hallways.

"Are we allowed to come down here?" Mokuba asked.

"We're fine," Seto murmured, running a hand through his own hair.

"Yeah, Moki, it's ok." Lea wrapped her arms around his shoulders in a comforting way. She ignored Seto as he sighed. "So, where are we going?" The brothers shrugged in response. Lea frowned for a moment, but the trio kept walking.

After a few minutes, Lea stopped. Having let go of Mokuba by this time, the brothers nearly left her as she stared at a door. When a pair of footsteps were noticed missing, they stopped.

"Lea?" Mokuba asked, looking back at her.

"What is it?" Seto added.

"This room's empty… I bet no one will bother us if we went in here…" Lea reached forward and took the doorknob in her hand.

"Lea, we can't just go in." Seto took Lea's shoulder in his hand, a frown lining his face.

"No one will bother us," Lea repeated. "C'mon, we can talk and stuff, like we were outside!" She turned the knob and pulled the door open.

The room was mostly empty, save a few cobwebs and a light-fixture above the window opposite the door. Lea smiled, entering the room and plopping down on the floor in front of the window, watching as the raindrops assaulted it from outside.

"Are you sure it's ok?" Mokuba asked, concerned.

"Yeah, just close the door; we'll be fine!" Lea turned back to see the brothers as they did as she told them, though they nearly seemed reluctant. Mokuba hurried over to sit beside the girl as Seto stood behind her. He sighed, crossing his arms over his chest. "Something wrong, Seto?"

"No," he stated flatly, staring out the window.

"Aw, don't be like that, Seto," Lea pried, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong." Lea watched as the other's eyes drifted over to Mokuba as the younger took Lea's arm in his own, smiling. She paused.

"Moki," she began, looking down at him, "wanna play a game?"

"Sure!" he twittered, his eyes meeting hers.

"You like hide-and-seek, don't ya?"

"Yeah! Who's the Seeker?"

"Me and Seto'll be Seeker together, ok?"

"That's not fair, you'll find me then!"

"I guess that just means you'll have to find a really good hiding place, doesn't it?" Lea smiled. Mokuba paused, then leapt to his feet and scurried out the door.

"Start counting!" he cried, hurrying down the hallway.

"One, two, three…!" Lea began, stopping as his footsteps faded into silence. She sighed, smiling as Seto glanced down at her with an odd look.

"What on Earth…?"

"You didn't wanna talk with him in here, so I got him out." Lea patted the floor beside her. "Talk to me."

Seto frowned, accepting the offer, though grudgingly. "There's nothing to talk about."

"How about why you keep sighing every time Mokuba does something." Seto scoffed, looking away. Lea continued, "Why's he bothering you?"

"He isn't bothering me…"

"Then why do you act like it?"

"…He just acts so foolish some times…"

"Like when?"

"… His reception this morning…"

"He just hugged me, Seto; what's wrong with that? _I_ hugged _you_."

"That's beside the point…"

"Then what's the point?"

"You're encouraging it…"

"Seto, you're not making any sense…"

"You don't have to baby him like you do."

"When did I 'baby' him?"

"In the hall… you didn't have to hug him to make him feel better, he would have been fine…"

"… You're not jealous are you?"

Seto's eyes widened suddenly as he looked at her in shock. "_Jealous_? Why would I be _jealous_?"

"Why wouldn't you? You're jealous because I've hugged him twice today, and only hugged you once." Lea nodded in a knowing fashion.

"That's stupid; I'm not jealous of Mokuba." He looked away to hide the blush creeping over his cheeks. Lea sighed.

"Sure you aren't…" She leaned over and wrapped her arms around him. Seto stared at her for a moment before she readjusted herself, sitting closer to him and laying her head on his shoulder. He sighed, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips and wrapped his arms around her as well. The two children sat in silence for a moment.

Lea suddenly looked up at Seto. "Mokuba will worry if we don't go look for him…"

"Yeah, you're right." Seto rose to his feet, helping her up. Just before he turned toward the door, Lea leaned forward, kissing Seto on the cheek before she ran off, leaving him nearly stunned.


	7. Overwhelmed

A Figure from the Past  
Chapter 7: Overwhelmed  
Heaven Sent Tenshi

Ishizu smiled as she stood before the window of her hotel room. She turned from the window as a knock sounded quietly from the door.

"Come in, Lea."

The door opened as the girl entered, a sheepish look on her face.

"Ishizu… I…"

Ishizu smiled again, approaching Lea. She placed her hands on her shoulders. "He's returned, hasn't he?"

Lea paused, smiling as well. "Yes…"

"Good… You do understand that this was to happen, correct?"

"Of course…. But… I don't understand why I didn't see this before."

"That's simple, Lea…. If you knew… it wouldn't have happened…. Admit it; you would have left this town as soon as you had known who Kaiba truly was."

Lea looked away. "But, none of this would have happened if I had known what had really taken place to begin with…"

"You wouldn't have left the orphanage then."

"Exactly, Ishizu… I would have been better off…"

"No, you would have been one of the Kaibas… You wouldn't be the person you are now… you wouldn't be as powerful a psychic…"

"I faint whenever I use my powers, Ishizu…. I wouldn't call that powerful…"

"You have a strength within you that is stronger than you know." Lea looked up as she continued. "Now, go with him, things will be unfolded when the time is right."

Lea nodded. "Thank you, Ishizu… for everything…. I wish I could repay you…"

Ishizu shook her head. "Do not worry about it, just go." Lea nodded again then turned and left the woman to return to the car outside the hotel.

As she approached the black car, the chauffeur opened the door. Lea clambered in and settled down on the seat beside Seto.

"Finished?" he asked.

Lea nodded, paused, and then looked around. "Where's my bag?"

"Trunk," he replied flatly. "You can stop worrying."

Lea sighed. "I know… I just…"

"You're so attached to that bag…"

"Yeah… well, it does have… _all_ of my worldly possessions in it… other than my jewelry…." She reached up to her necklace and ran a finger over it.

"You've had that since you were little, haven't you?"

Lea nodded. "They were my mother's… I wouldn't let them out of my sight if my life depended on it." She smiled, closing her eyes. Suddenly, the smile faded as she sighed and looked out of the window. Seto placed a hand on her shoulder. She started, then looked back and smiled at him. He looked at her oddly for a moment.

"You don't have to pretend…"

"Pretend what, Seto?"

He paused before shaking his head in defeat. He didn't want to have to bring something up that could be potentially painful for her.

Silence filled the car for the rest of the ride as it sped on toward the Kaiba mansion. Lea stared out the window, watching as the scenery passed by. She couldn't even remember then last time she had been in a car.

Something began to dawn over her. It really hadn't sunk in, but she was going to have a home… _she was going home_. She was finally going to be reunited with her childhood friends. Or was "friend" the right word? She shook her head as her mind scanned her memories and came upon the pain of her last day. She didn't need to think about it anymore; things were right again, nothing bad would happen anymore.

Soon, the mansion came into view. Seto looked over at the house, then over at Lea. She still stared out the window. He placed a hand on her shoulder again and she looked back.

"We're here," he informed as she nodded, a smile on her face. Lea looked up the drive and saw a figure at the door. She smiled broader.

"I wonder how long he's been waiting there…" she murmured. Seto looked up.

"Not long, I'm sure."

As the car pulled up to the door, Lea reached for the handle, but Seto's hand stopped hers. Confused, Lea looked back at him. He nodded back toward the chauffeur as he pulled the door open for them and bowed. As Seto's door was facing toward the house, his was the one to be opened.

Seto stepped out of the car and held up a finger to Lea, signaling her to wait for a moment. Mokuba ran forward toward them.

"Seto! Where were you, I thought you'd be home earlier!"

"We had a slight delay…"

"So, you said something about a surprise."

Seto nodded, and held his hand out to Lea who was hidden in the shadows of the car from Mokuba. She took his hand and he helped her out. Mokuba stood before them, frozen in shock as he watched Lea come out into the sunlight.

"… Lea…? It… you…. I thought…"

"Hi, Moki…" Lea greeted, a smile splitting her lips.

"It really _is_ you!" he cried, leaping forward and hugging Lea around the waist.

"Of course!" she laughed, hugging him back.

"How?" Mokuba looked up at Lea then back at Seto. "I don't get it."

"Maybe we should talk about that during an early dinner," Seto offered, looking over Lea. "I'm sure you're hungry; you didn't eat lunch."

Lea looked sheepish, "Yeah, kinda…"

"Then let's go inside."

As soon as Seto said this, he led the other two inside. Lea was shocked, to say the least, as to the extreme beauty of the house. Mokuba had her by the hand and was leading her as Seto led them.

"I can't believe this…" Lea murmured. The other two didn't say anything in response, but everyone knew she had said the one thing on their minds.

&&&&&

Lea pulled open the door to her bedroom. She stood in awe of the room as Seto nudged her in. She looked back at him and then into the room again as she took a few more steps. Before her was a large four-post bed with red blankets. A vanity table, complete with large mirror and all, rested against the wall to her right. Beside it was a large, empty dresser. Two windows were set into the wall on either side of the bed. To her left were two doors; one lead to her new bathroom and the other to her closet.

Lea didn't know what to do or even what to think. She stood in the middle of the room, staring before her, unblinkingly.

"Do you like it?" Seto asked, placing his right hand on her right shoulder. Her hands rose to her mouth as she nodded her head. "Good." Carefully, he took the bag off of her shoulder and placed it beside her dresser. "This and your closet are empty, but that's just for now." He turned back to her. "When you have time, I'll give you the money, and you can go shopping, if you want." Lea nodded again as she approached the bed.

"This is mine? All of it?"

"Everything in this room."

Lea silently laid her hand on the comforter on the bed. She smiled, tears brimming her eyes. Something had just clicked; she was truly home…. She fell to her knees, sobs nearly overtaking her. Seto watched her for half a second before rushing over to her.

"What happened?" Mokuba exclaimed as entered the room. He too hurried over to the crying girl.

"I think she's just overwhelmed." Seto took her in his arms and allowed her to cry into his shoulder, a smile still on her lips. "She just needs some time for it to sink in." Lea nodded and he smiled. "She'll be fine." Carefully, Seto lifted the girl up and sat her down upon the bed. He pushed her hair back so that he could gaze into her eyes. She allowed him, looking up and smiling through her tears again.

"Thank you," she whispered as the brothers smiled. These new times would be better than before. They were a family again, and nothing would split them apart.

&&&&&

"Here," Seto murmured, handing Lea an old pair of pajamas. "It's the best we could find for you tonight."

"It's fine, thanks," she replied, taking the clothing and hugging him with one arm. She quickly pulled away and hurried to her room. As she entered and locked her door, she began to undress herself and slipped into her temporary night clothes. They fit, though barely. The pants were a bit large, but the string around the waist kept them on. She lifted her arm up and giggled as the sleeve slipped over her hand and hung from it. She unlocked door just as a knock sounded from it. Opening it revealed Mokuba.

"Just wanted to say good night," he chirped, a smile on his face. He had hardly stopped smiling since she had gotten there.

Lea nodded, still smiling. "Good night, Moki."

"I missed you calling me that."

"Then I'll keep calling you Moki, ok?" She bent down and hugged him.

"Promise you won't leave again."

"I won't, I swear it… next time I won't trust myself…"

"Ok." Mokuba squeezed her tightly and then pulled back. "Night!'

"G'night!"

As he left, Lea began to close the door.

"You're still babying him, I see."

Lea looked up, surprised. Seto leaned against the door frame, watching as Mokuba scampered off to bed. She paused.

"Babying him? Oh, Seto, not that again…"

"You're still calling him Moki?"

"Why not? He loves that."

"I know, but it's so…"

"Childish?"

"Yes."

Lea sighed. "Seto, please, I don't want to have to argue anymore today…"

"… You're right… but… consider what I keep telling you…"

"That argument's been dead for almost ten years, Seto; I am not going to continue it." With that, Lea made to close the door again, but Seto's hand stopped it.

"Don't just shut the door in my face, Lea."

"I'd like to go to bed. And I'm sure you need it, too."

"Lea."

With another sigh, she opened the door again. "What?"

Leaning forward, Seto kissed her on the forehead and closed the door for her. Lea didn't move for a few minutes. Soon, she smiled awkwardly and turned back to her bed. She switched off the light, clambered into the bed and snuggled into the blankets. She fiercely ignored what little pain came to because of the soft mattress; she was slowly getting used to it, though.

As she stared at the ceiling, she began to remember more and more of her time with the Kaiba brothers when they were all little. She smiled; they were such pleasant memories. Suddenly, her memories were split and a figure appeared before her. It was Joey.

Lea's eyes opened. She stared at the darkness that hung about her like a thick fog. She had nearly forgotten about him; _how_, she wasn't sure, but she had. Slowly, she sat up. What was she to do?

She had grown so close to Joey, not to mention Yugi, Tristan, and Téa. But she was sure she had grown a crush on the teen… She shook her head. This was going to be messy.

She cared for Joey, and Joey for her, she was sure. He had tried so desperately to help her when he thought Seto to be a threat to her safety… and that wasn't even scratching the surface.

Lea pressed the palms of her hands into her closed eyes, attempting to calm herself. What would she do? She sat upon her new bed, thinking for what seemed an hour to her.

Finally, she came to conclusion. She had to make a choice. She could either go with Seto, the object of her childhood affection, the reason she stayed at the orphanage for as long as she did, the link to a past she spent so many years forgetting. Or, she could go with Joey, the funny teen from her class, someone who began as a friend but built up to be something more.

She cradled her head. She wasn't sure who she felt stronger feelings for, the one she had known since she was young, or the one who she freshly knew.

Something Ishizu told her earlier that day echoed in her mind. "You do understand that this was to happen, correct?" Lea searched for deeper meaning in this question. Did she mean that she would stay with Seto? Or merely that she was to see him again? She shook her head, ignoring the salty droplets that leaked down her cheeks.

"Wait," she murmured, looking up, "How stupid of me…" She ran to the vanity and gazed into it. Unwrapping the headband from around her forehead, she uncovered her jewel. She could use it now; what was stopping her from knowing the right decision before she made it? Closing her eyes again, she summoned up her jewel.

The room was bathed in purple light. Her hair floated and her clothing was pushed again from her. Suddenly, the light died, pain surged through her head as she reopened her eyes. Her pupils shrank and her energy gave way. She crumpled to the floor without uttering another word.


	8. You Must Lose To Keep

A Figure from the Past  
Chapter 8: You Must Lose To Keep  
Heaven Sent Tenshi

Lea opened her eyes slowly. Her head throbbed as she carefully lifted herself into a sitting position. She was lying in her bed and the blankets had been pulled up and tucked under her body. She squinted her eyes until things came into better focus. Her head ached more after looking over at the spot in front of the vanity where she had fainted.

Carefully, she slid her legs over the edge of the bed and rose to her feet. Padding over to the dresser, she retrieved her bag. Placing it on the table of the vanity, she began to empty it, placing most of the contents on the vanity itself. From it, she withdrew the outfit she had worn her first Saturday in Domino, a small brush she had "found" a few years ago, a tooth brush she had had for too long, deodorant, and a small bottle of body spray that she had miraculously been able to use for a few months now. She sighed, sinking down into the small chair beside the vanity.

As she lifted the hairbrush to her brown, knotted locks, she spied the torn picture at the bottom of her bag. She gasped, forgetting it had been in there. Reaching down, she retrieved the picture. She bit her lip. The photograph was of a woman, a man, and a child. She shut her eyes, slamming her hand and the picture down on the table. Turning away from the picture, she fell down onto her bed.

"Lea?" She looked up, startled. Seto stood at the door, looking confused. "What was that about?"

"I…. Nothing…." She turned away.

Seto strode toward the vanity, reaching down to the upside-down photo.

"Please, Seto…. Don't…"

But he ignored her, turning the picture over. He gazed down at it for moment.

"Is this… you?"

"And my parents…"

Silence filled the air for a moment. "You never told us what happened to them…"

"… They were killed…" Lea took a deep breath. "After I was… _given_ my jewel and my parents found out, they became afraid… People naturally fear what they have no understanding of… and they couldn't understand… One day, somehow, I exploded… I don't remember much… only that there was a lot of purple light… My parents were so frightened that they left; I have no idea where they were going… probably to find help… but they both left… and…" Lea's voice faded away as she refused to look at Seto. "As they pulled out into an intersection… some moron swerved… and they collided. I was told it was a head-on… and that they didn't stand a chance…" Seto sat in silence, watching her as she stared at the floor. To his surprise, Lea had no tears falling from her pain-stricken eyes. "I was sent to the orphanage a few days later… My only relatives, my father's family, had died by that time… I was a child alone in a world where the only people close to me were killed… And then I met you and Mokuba…"

Lea rose from the bed then turned and looked back at Seto. "So… how did I end up back in bed?"

"Oh, I found you there last night. Someone walked by after I had gone, saw a purple light, told me, and I knew right away it was you. I came in here and found you on the floor. So, I picked you up and put you back in bed. I came in to check on you when I saw that you were… upset."

"Oh… I'm sorry…"

"What were you doing last night?"

"… Nothing…"

"_Lea_."

"Just… looking for something… It just backfired… I guess it wasn't something I was supposed to see… I should have known better…"

"Wait, backfired? It'll _backfire_?"

"Sometimes… only when I try to see something I'm not supposed to…"

"Then why did you do it?"

"I don't know…" Lea turned away and back toward the vanity. She picked up the photograph and shoved it back into her bag. After this, she turned to her dresser and extracted her old school uniform.

"I wouldn't bother with that…" Seto murmured, standing up as well. Lea looked back at him again. "I ordered another uniform for you; it should be at the school."

"What? Really?"

"Well, I couldn't let you run around in that old thing, could I?"

Lea smiled. "I suppose not."

"I suggest you dress in something a bit more… _presentable_ until then." With that said, he headed for the door. As his hand reached for the knob, he paused. "Oh, and breakfast is waiting for you downstairs."

Lea nodded as he left. She smiled again and pulled out her "everyday outfit". Strangely enough, these clothes, her only other garments, were in somewhat better condition. For now, these would be sufficient. Pulling off her night clothes, she dressed in her odd outfit and readied herself to go down to breakfast; her first decent breakfast and her second decent meal.

&&&&&

"I still can't believe you guys dragged me outta there!" Joey whined, folding his arms over his chest as he sunk down in his desk.

"You're still freakin' out over that?" Tristan asked, a sour look on his face.

"Whadd'_you_ think?" Joey spat back.

"I'm sure she's fine, Joey," Téa murmured as she, Tristan, and Yugi took their seats.

"Yeah, but what if she's with Kaiba?" the blonde inquired.

"I'm sure she's fine," she repeated, rolling her eyes.

"They _have_ known each other for a while," Yugi added, "at least, that's what Kaiba told us…"

"What if he was lying to us?" Joey hissed.

"Why would he lie to us?" Téa retorted.

"To get us _to leave_!"

Just as Joey said this, the door to the classroom opened.

"Lea!" Joey cried, leaping to his feet, "You're alive!"

Lea laughed as she moved from the doorway. "Of course I'm alive, Joey." She smiled broadly. Joey ran over to her and made to… well, it seemed as if he was about to tackle her; but that was before he noticed that Kaiba was standing right behind her.

"What are you doing, Wheeler?" he growled. Joey paused, staring at the pair as the CEO took Lea's shoulder in his hand and steered her toward his desk. "We need to talk…" he whispered as she shoved his hand away.

"What are you talking about, Seto?"

He looked back at Joey, who was standing by the door watching them, then back at the rest of the group as they sat watching them from the other side of the room. "I need to talk to you _about them_…"

"This is hardly the time or the place," she murmured. "I'm gonna go sit down." She turned away from him and made toward Joey, who was near the front of the isle. As she took a step, Seto reached out and took her arm his hand. "Seto!" she hissed, turning to look at him again.

"Lea, I'm _not_ joking."

Lea frowned, watching him for a moment. "Why are you acting like this? This isn't like you."

"Yeah it is," Joey whispered, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

Lea looked back at the blonde, then over at Seto again. He stood there, glaring at Joey and doing nothing else. Shaking her head, Lea thrust her arm away and continued toward her desk with Joey beside her. Lea sighed as she sunk down into her desk beside her friends.

"So, what's up with you and Kaiba?" Joey asked, taking his seat as well.

"Oh, yeah… you weren't informed, really, were you?" The others shook their heads. Lea sighed. This would mark the second time she would tell this story. With Seto watching them like a hawk, she began to relay her past to her friends.

As she finished, she smiled. "Seto's insisted that I stay with him… It's like we're a family again…" She closed her eyes. "Things seem like they might go back to the way they were… at least, I hope they will…." Lea looked up and away. "This time, though, I don't have to worry about being torn from them…"

"Wai-wai-wait…" Joey murmured, holding up a hand, "So you're staying with _him_, even though I offered you a place to stay _first_?"

Lea paused. "I…" She blinked several times, not knowing what to say.

Téa frowned, looking over at Lea and then at Joey. She then hit Joey in the arm, hissing his name. Joey yelped, looking back at her. The look on her face, though, told him not to say anything. Lea looked away from the four, sighing again. She knew he was right… and she still had to figure out what she was going to do about Joey in the first place. She bit her lip then hid her face in her arms as she folded them atop her desk.

"Lea?" Yugi asked, worried, just as the others were.

"I didn't mean it," Joey tried, "Really, it doesn't bother me." He placed a hand on her back. As he did this, he could have _sworn_ he heard Seto growl.

"Yes you did; it _does_ bother you… and it should… I…." She looked up. "I'm sorry Joey…" He paused again, watching her as she turned to look out the window. "Things are just… confusing right now…"

"Don't worry about it." Lea looked back at him. Joey was smiling slightly. This, in turn, caused her to smile too. And then the bell rang.

&&&&&

When the lunch bell rang, Lea sighed. Somehow she had survived half of the day. She prayed she would survive the rest of the day too. The group began to sift through backpacks and pull out their lunch, just as usual. And, as usual, Joey pulled out a bag of chips and tossed them to Lea. She took them, smiling, and thanked him just as Seto stalked down the isle.

"Lea," he growled, glaring at the others. Lea looked back, opening the bag.

"Yes, Seto?" she asked, now avoiding his gaze and looking down at her chips.

"You have your own lunch, and we still need to talk."

Lea sighed, standing up and handing the chips to Joey. "I almost forgot…" She waved to her friends, an apologetic look on her face and followed Seto back to his desk.

"I don't want you conversing with them," he announced suddenly when they were out of ear-shot. Lea paused.

"… _What_?"

Seto lowered himself down into his desk and folded his hands over the tabletop. "I don't want you hanging out with them."

"_Why_?" Lea looked back and forth between her friends and her childhood crush. But Seto refused to answer her, merely glaring at the group. "Seto… I…" She took a deep breath. "You cannot deny me my friends."

"And you cannot keep company with people who I can't stomach. Do you understand?"

"Then… perhaps I cannot stay with you… I want to, Seto, but… they're my friends!" She turned, ready to go to her friends.

"Lea," he took her arm again, "I've given you a home, food, clothing… is this how you're going to repay me?" Lea froze.

"I…"

"And what about Mokuba?"

Lea slowly looked back at him. _"Promise you won't leave again,"_ rang in her mind.

"You swore to him, Lea."

"That hardly seems fair…" She turned, sinking to her knees. "Fine…" Seto took her chin in his hand. "I… I'm sorry, Seto…"

"Good… I'll speak with the teachers; you'll sit on _this_ side of the classroom from now on." Lea nodded, tears lining her eyes. "Gather your things, this desk is empty." He pointed to the desk behind him. Lea nodded again, rising to her feet.

"Lea, what was that all about?" Joey demanded as she approached them. She lifted her eyes to them, mouthed an apology, grabbed her things and returned to Seto. Joey sat, staring at her for a moment. Finally, he looked back at them. "Guys?"

"I think… she just blew us off," Tristan murmured.

"She didn't blow us off," Téa corrected, a nervous laugh hiding behind her words, "At least… I don't think she did…."

"No… I think she did." Tristan frowned. "She chose _him_ over _us_."

The group looked over at the pair. Lea's eyes were pain-stricken, but otherwise empty. She sunk down into the desk behind Seto as he smiled.


End file.
